Owner's Manual: Anchors Be Weighed

Friends, let me ask you a personal question: You been thinking any heavy thoughts lately? Have you had weighty subjects on your mind? And do you think that these ponderous concerns might be like an anchor to your running?

Well, if you are trying to deal with a few or more problem pounds, it might be due to a metabolic slowdown. If that's the case, have you ever met someone who wisely matched a metabolic deficit with a caloric one? If so, I'd like to shake their hand when they receive the Nobel Prize for biochemistry. Yes, it's another case of, "Oh my goodness! Those damned calories touched my lips and then slid right onto my hips!"

You might recall my column a few issues ago when I told the story about how 20 pounds snuck under the midriff of a former Olympic marathoner and were hiding out there. Well, all of us runners will face situations like his before we realize, or admit, that our caloric input is exceeding our metabolic output.

Milo and the Calf

Like the weightlifter in the Greek myth, Mrs. Milo realizes that Melina, at just 3 or 4 years old and somewhere between 30 and 40 pounds, has gotten too heavy. She can't keep picking her up multiple times per day and lugging her around on her hip. So, in effect, Mrs. Milo stops weightlifting all day long. Now what do you suppose happens when those lifting calories don't get burned and all that nice lean body mass starts atrophying? Yup, you got it -- stealth pounds.

Mr. Atalanta, married to the swift Greek goddess, has had a serious, hardcore, successful running career. He was used to metabolizing piles of calories with the most efficient form of exercise for burning fat: lots of big, slow miles. In addition, tons of carbs fueled lots of high-intensity interval workouts. However, years of biomechanical wear and tear inevitably caused a lowering of goals. Training for peak performances gave way to recreational running as a participant instead of as a competitor. Then finishing times became embarrassing, so training relaxed into jogging for health. Hello, stealth pounds. Occasionally, almost 20 of them. Any chance that was due to being unable to cut down the calories in direct relation to the lower mileage? You betchem, Red Rider.

I confess. That sad story above is mine. While my wife Betty is as pretty as any Greek goddess, I'm not Mr. Atalanta. But I am Exhibit B for more of those stealth pounds. At my peak in the early '60s, I weighed in regularly at 157 versus 163 at high school graduation. Now? Well, 170-172 seem to be my set points. But when it creeps up to 177, that's enough. Since my running plan isn't sufficient anymore, that's when I get myself to a registered dietitian (RD).
Follow an Eating Plan

If you, too, need to lose some stealth pounds, find someone like Valerie Young or Leah Thomas. Not only are they both RDs with masters degrees in exercise science, they're both also national-class marathoners. The way I see it, a coach is to training as an RD is to eating. Young and Thomas have helped me:

2. Establish my caloric requirements to meet my activity metabolic rate, the amount of calories I burn through the work and small amounts of exercise that I'm capable of these days.

3. Determine which of the foods that are always in the pantry and refrigerator that are my favorites.

4. Calculate my total caloric requirements needed to lose two stealth pounds per week and then subtracted the number of calories of those convenient, favorite foods.

5. Create an eating plan that featured serving sizes, not in #@%^&* ounces or grams that require laboratory equipment and assistants to measure, but in everyday units like a small, medium and large; or teaspoon, tablespoon, cup, bowl or beer glass; or amounts compared to everyday items like a pack of cards, a Razor cell phone or simply a handful.

6. Design a diary so I could log each day's food intake, and inspire me to not cheat.

7. Add a second workout of 30 minutes of walking to my now-modest exercise routine.

Keeping the diary was the key for me. For runners who regularly log their workouts, it's very easy to do. And, man, once you've put those items and quantities down on paper, it sure strengthens your will power. It's just like the threat of a big fat zero in your running diary that, at a weak moment, gets you out the door.

So, if your old engine isn't running as hot anymore, switch to fueling up by the quart instead of by the gallon. An eating plan will make sure that you know the difference and then provide what you need instead of what you want.

Roy Benson, MPE in Exercise Physiology, has been a distance running coach for 45 years.

Ed. Note: RunningTimes.com's regular contributor Jackie Dikos is a registered dietitian and Olympic Trials Marathon qualifier. Check out all of her columns at http://runningtimes.com/fuel